Called the “first in-depth exploration of the intertwined careers of America’s greatest president and America’s greatest city, ” New York Historical Society’s “Lincoln and New York” exhibition will be the culminating presentation in the Historical Society’s Lincoln Year of exhibitions, events and public programs. The extraordinary display of original artifacts, iconic images and highly significant period documents is the Historical Society’s major contribution to the nation’s Lincoln Bicentennial. Lincoln and New York has been endorsed by the U.S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.
From the launch of Abraham Lincoln’s 1860 Presidential campaign with a speech at Cooper Union through the unprecedented outpouring of grief at his funeral procession in 1865, New York City played a surprisingly central role in the career of the sixteenth President—and Lincoln, in turn, had an impact on New York that was vast, and remains vastly underappreciated.
Serving as chief historian for Lincoln and New York and editor of the accompanying catalogue is noted Lincoln scholar and author Harold Holzer, co-chairman of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. Noted Harold Holzer: “For the first time, this exhibition will show how the city’s politicians, preachers, picture-makers and publishers—its citizens, black as well as white, poor as well as rich—continued to aid, thwart, support, undermine, promote and sabotage Lincoln and his political party. At the same time, we show how Lincoln came to influence the evolving history of New York. Despite ongoing political opposition, the state provided more men and materiel to the Union war effort than any other, even as it incubated virulent, sometimes racist, occasionally violent resistance to Lincoln’s presidency. In the end, New York created something more: it created the Lincoln image we know today.”
For more information, visit the New York Historical Society online.
Adapted from a press release from the New York Historical Society.
Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this post and associated programs or materials do not necessarily represent those of President Lincoln’s Cottage.
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Tags:Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, Harold Holzer, New York, New York Historical Society, President Lincoln
